Many conditions are characterized by disruptions in cellular pathways that lead, for example, to aberrant control of cellular processes, with uncontrolled growth and increased cell survival. These disruptions are often caused by changes in the activity of molecules participating in cellular pathways. For example, alterations in specific signaling pathways have been described for many cancers.
Conditions today are diagnosed by analyzing these disruptions in a single homogenous population of cells. However, different types of cells co-exist with other different types of cells in a complex environment milieu which might affect the pathology of a condition. Thus, the successful diagnosis of a condition and use of therapies may require knowledge of the cellular events that are responsible for the condition pathology in a variety of cells and/or cellular networks.
Accordingly, there is a need for a biologically based clinically relevant analysis of condition disorders that can diagnose or predict the disease course for an individual. This analysis, based upon the status of different discrete cell populations will provide a more complete depiction of the pathology of a condition, thus, aiding clinicians in both more reliable prognosis and therapeutic selection at the individual patient level.
Therefore, cross-talk between cells (malignant, immune, bystanders, and others) tissues and biological systems contributes to the ability to diagnose, treat, and select and design drugs for a given disease state.